Expansion joint



Jan. 4, 1949.

J. s. PINAIRE EXPANSION JOINT Filed Feb. 12', 1945 INVENTOR. JOHN S. PINAIRE BY Agert Patented Jan. 4, 1949 EXPANSION JOINT John S. Pinaire, Montrose, Calif.,` `assigner to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, Calif.

Application February 12, 1945,'Seral No. 577,571

This invention relates to slip or expansion joints for high temperature service, and has particular reference to such joints for use in exhaust manifolds and exhaust conduits for internal combustion engines. The exhaust manifolds and lines from internal combustion engines of the aircraft type reach particularly high operating temperatures, exceeding 1600 Fahrenheit close to the engine exhaust ports, and thus create peculiar problems such as those due to the expansion and contraction of the metal used for the manifold and conduits. For example, a specic airplane having two engines of the inline type, requires twenty-two expansion or slip joints in the exhaust system, there being an `average movement iat each such joint of approximately five thirty-seconds of an inch between normal (cold) and operating conditions. In raddition to the linear expansion problem, some misalignment in installation must be allowed for, f

which renders axially rigid types of slip joints unsatisfactory.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved light-weight, gas-tight slip or expansion joint that can be readily assembled to absorb misalignment between the adjacent parts, and which can be sealed in situ without binding or excessive friction on the sliding parts.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form of the invention wherein reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal elevation, with parts broken away to show a central section, of a slip or expansion joint embodying the features of this invention; and,

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

As shown on the drawings, a pair of tubular conduits I and Il are sufficiently different in diameter to allow the tube I0 to enter tube II, it being preferable to have the hot gases ow from I0 to I I in order to produce a suction effect on the joint and thus ofi-set the pressure differential in the conduit to induce leakage of air inward instead of leakage of gas outwardly, as well as to facilitate the flow of the exhaust gas.

The joint to be described in detail is more elaborate than would be necessary for less critical installations, since the illustrated embodiment is subject to continuous movement and wear, and it is desirable to be able to replace worn elements when overhauling an airplane engine, which outlasts several exhaust systems because of the high 3 Claims. (Cl. 285-183) temperatures and adverse operating conditions imposed thereon. In order to provide for ready replaceability, I provide wearing sleeves I2 and I3 attached respectively to the tubes I0 and II. the sleeves being snugiits on or in their correspending tubes and being spot welded or otherwise secured thereto Iin such a way as to improve the rigidity and maintain a true circle. A slight diametrical clearance, suilicient to absorb normal misalignment between the tubes Ill and I I, is provided between the sleeves I2 and I3, and a similar clearance would desirably be provided between the tubes I0 and II if the wearing sleeves I2 and I3 were to be omitted.

The sleeve I3, or the tube II if the sleeve I3 iS omitted, is provided with an out-turned iiange I4 which serves as an abutment against which is clamped a seal ring I5, by means of a split channel section collar I6, the `flanges Il and I8 of which respectively engage the side of the ring I5 and the flange I4. The split halves of the collar I6 may be placed about the assembled joint and secured together as by bolts I9 as shown. The collar is suiiciently large to provide an annular chamber 2|] externally of the ring, which chamber is vented at several points 2l and provided with one or more openings 22 through which a refractory material 23, such as fire clay, or asbestos furnace cement, is injected, as by a collapsible tube or a pressure gun similar to the familiar pressure grease gun, to fill the chamber and thereafter dry to a solid and gas-tight seal between the tube II and the ring I5.

It is usual practice to form aircraft engine exhaust systems from stainless steel formed sheet or tubing because of the high temperature and corrosive nature of the exhaust gases. The seal ring I6 may also be formed of stainless steel or of various high or low alloy cast irons or Iconel, preferably having approximately the same coefficient oi expansion with changes in temperature, the seal ring being also desirably of a material that will notseize or gall on the sleeve I2 or tube I0, as the case may be, to which it is closely fitted to form a metal to metal sliding, but gastight joint which should remain free from seizure or increased clearances over a Wide range of temperatures.

I have found that fire clay mixed to the usual mortar consistency, as well as various types of high temperature furnace or asbestos cements, all of which set or bake to hard and temperature resistant solids, are satisfactory backing and sealing materials for the seal ring I5. Such refractory material seals serve to compensate for It wm inns be ySenn that r nave invented an Yserve` t'o myself anyf variations or modifications that-:may appear' to those skilled: in the art'r fall W-iti'ii'i the scope of the following claims;

I claim `as 'my invention:

An axial expansion' connectionl comprising a 'pair of telescoping Vconduit' elements,v a rst wearirig sleeve appliedt'o the exterior ofthe inn'er condiit"e1ehient,fa secondy wea-ring sleeve applied to the 'interior` of-theoute'r Conduit'element, there lbeii'ig a limited clearancel betWeen'tlie-two sleeves, said second sleeve having ai radial Harige 'formed thereon-on the end overlying the inner" conduit element', a Seal' l'lgllaivilg a sli'diilg'l bill? g't'S- tight fit on the first mentioned sleeve, a; channel member adapted to clamp said seal' ring to the' iiange ofthe secondsle'eve, said channel member formingran annular space surrounding the peripheryof said' seal ring, and a refractory' iria# terial filling the annular space in said channel member.

2. In an expansion joint for use between adjacent telescoping sections of exhaust manifolds and the like, a radial flange associated with the overlying manifold section, a seal ring so constructed and arranged as to make axial sliding but gas-tight engagement withv theunderlying manifold eiii.: and adapted t'o' 'abut against sairlradial flange associaiil with the overlying `lmanifold section, a channel member adapted to clamp said seal ring to said radial flange, said channel member having an annular space surrounding the periphery of said sealing ring, and 'a refractory: materialv filling the annular space in said channel miiib.

3. In an. expansion joint for use between adjacent telescoping sections of exhaust manifolds and the like, a radial flange associated with the overlying manifold section, a seal ring so con- 'stlctel"` and' arranged as 'to nienke'4 axialy sliding but enseigne engagement with` tineA underlying old section andE adapted to abut against said radial flange associated with the overlying' manifold section, a channel member ratia'pteclA to er psai'l sea-1 ring to saidradiar iiang'e", said Vnell member having an annular space'A sur'- reundi'ng the periphery ofsaidf sealing rin'gfaiid an i-nitiall'yf p stic v'refracto'y material cast' in" said annular 'spa e hardened i'r s'i'tu therein dure iiigthe assemblyo 'saint expansion joint. A

JOHN s". Pr'N'iiai REFERENCES cr'iiieirfa' VjTlie following references are of record in the iil of this patent:

UNI-TED SIf'lirA'Ilil-S` PATENTS' V p 'naine nate reggere Geek" o't'. 28;. '1922i 2301,495

.niega Nov. 101.1942 

